UK's Culham Campus to Host First AI Supercomputer The UK government is set to invest £45m into building the country's first AI supercomputer at Culham Campus in Oxfordshire, which is also the site of the UK's first artificial intelligence growth zone. The supercomputer, named Sunrise and with a power capacity of 1.4MW, is a crucial component in establishing the UK's AI Growth Zone at the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA). Unveiled as part of the UK's Fusion Strategy, Sunrise is expected to be operational by June. It is touted as the most powerful AI supercomputer worldwide dedicated to fusion energy research. This initiative comes at a time when the global economy faces challenges due to disruptions in the oil market caused by geopolitical tensions. Patrick Vallance, the minister for science, innovation, research, and nuclear, emphasized the importance of supporting the fusion industry to secure the country's energy independence. He highlighted the potential for creating skilled clean energy jobs for British citizens through innovation and research in the field. Funded by the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), Sunrise is designed to address key challenges in fusion energy research, including plasma turbulence, materials development, and tritium fuel breeding. Moreover, the supercomputer will enhance AI capabilities at Culham Campus and across the UK's high-performance computing landscape, aligning with the government's AI Opportunities Action Plan and AI for Science strategy. Collaborating with industry leaders such as AMD, Dell Technologies, Intel, and the University of Cambridge, Sunrise leverages advanced technologies, including AMD Epyc processors and AMD Instinct GPUs, to accelerate fusion research and enable high-fidelity simulations for complex systems. Thomas Zacharia from AMD highlighted the demanding nature of fusion research, which necessitates cutting-edge computing solutions to drive progress. UKAEA plans to utilize Sunrise for modeling, simulation, and the development of digital twins for complex systems. Rob Akers, UKAEA's director for computing programs, stressed the importance of leveraging AI and high-performance computing to advance fusion research, reduce costs, and accelerate progress towards the UK's net zero goals. In a joint effort with Dell Technologies, Intel, the University of Cambridge, and UKAEA, plans are underway to leverage supercomputers and AI to enhance the design capabilities of the UK's prototype fusion power plant by creating an 'industrial metaverse'. Additionally, the recent government investment of £36m in the Cambridge supercomputing center underscores the commitment to bolstering the UK's scientific computing capabilities and supporting initiatives like the Culham AI Growth Zone.
